Mirror Mirror (self-insert #9)

Chapter 9

—Footsteps. I tugged a starry comforter tightly around me, my heart hammering in my chest. Kosori was here, and he was getting closer.—

Lin watched us, concern visible on his usually expressionless face. At some point, Naru had gone limp and slid to the floor, the box near his hand.

—Receding footsteps. Then, a woman screamed.—

My heart was in my throat. Naru should just pull out of the vision while he still had the chance. I didn't want to see anymore.

The hand on my shoulder tightened comfortingly.

—A man stood silhouetted in the doorway. He trudged closer, a knife gleaming in his hand. He raised it, and blood streamed from the blade.—

"Stop." I gritted out, and Lin's eyes snapped to my face. I mentally willed Naru to hear me. "Quickly escape. Cut the link quickly while it's still possible ro turn back!"

"NARU!" Lin barked. Naru's eyes snapped open with a harsh gasp, and almost immediately I felt the dizzying pull fade.

"That...was close." Naru breathed, his face pale.

"You think?" I muttered.

Lin's lips pursed, and he tentatively rested a hand on Naru's shoulder. "Are you alright?"

"I feel nauseous when I move."

Ick. I scooted away hastily.

Naru's dark eyes drifted over to the cards. "That child was killed here." He said eventually.

Lin picked them up, studying them closely. "Then, this belongs to the child?"

"This seems to be his treasure. Could it be that this was his room?" He glanced at me, and I shrugged. I hadn't exactly been comparing the room to whar I'd seen in the vision. I had been more focused on getting Naru out alive. "The culprit was a man. There was a female accomplice. The people killed at least the two parents and the child, three of them."

Lin frowned. "A family was murdered. It's weirds that no one ever heard about this."

"Yeah." Naru agreed just as a scream rang out through the house for a second time that night.

I lurched upright, but Lin was on his feet in a flash. "Wait here until you can move." He ordered before hurrying out.

I flopped back against the wall, letting my limbs relax as the color slowly returned to Naru's face. He shifted his arms slightly, testing to see if he'd hurl. "You told me to stop touching you earlier. What did you mean?"

"That was probably my imagination."

"You're saying that to a paranormal researcher?"

Geh. He had a point. "I thought I felt a hand on my shoulder when we entered the room and while you were using psychometry." I admitted. "It felt like a human's hand, too—warm, solid, with a normal grip. That's why I thought it was you."

"Why on Earth..."

"I know, I know, geez." I snapped. A pause. "Any ideas on what it might be?"

"It's hard to say." He pulled himself upright as if he were dragging himself out of bed. "Shall we go see what the commotion was?"

"Give me a second." I grunted as I hobbled to my feet and stretched, grimacing as my back popped. "Alright, let's go."

We made our way up the stairs and to Midori's room where we could hear voices. The door was open, and as we neared it I heard Mai say, "Even though Gene is already gone!"